The compleat gard'ner, or, Directions for cultivating and right ordering of fruit-gardens and kitchen-gardens with divers reflections on several parts of husbandry, in six books : to which is added, his treatise of orange-trees, with the raising of melons, omitted in the French editions / by the famous Monsr De La Quintinye ... ; made English by John Evelyn ... ; illustrated with copper plates.

45. Observation.

WHen it comes to pass that a thick Branch being prun'd, shoots three, of which, the highest proves of a good thickness, the second weak for Fruit, and the third thicker than the highest, two Considerations must be had to Prune them skilfully; that is, if the highest be fit enough for the Figure, it must be made use of, and the third, which is thicker, cut slantingly, or within the thickness of a Crown-piece.

But if this third Branch be better plac'd for the Figure, it may be Prun'd, as being a Branch for Wood, and the highest left for a Fruit-Branch, or rather for one of those that must be remov'd within a certain space of time, supposing it causes no Confusion, and

that the Tree is very vigorous; for if it causes a Confusion, or the Tree be but of an or∣dinary Vigour, it must only be cut Stump-wise, for fear of losing the disposition which the weak one had for Fruit, if we should wholly take away the highest over the weak one.